1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to non-invasive ventilation therapies in which a patient interface device is used to communicate a flow with an airway of a user, and, in particular, to a transport and storage system for such a patient interface device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are numerous situations where it is necessary or desirable to deliver a flow of breathing gas non-invasively to the airway of a patient, i.e., without intubating the patient or surgically inserting a tracheal tube. Such therapies are commonly referred to as non-invasive ventilation (NIV) therapies. For example, it is known to non-invasively deliver continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or variable airway pressure, which varies with the patient's respiratory cycle, to treat medical disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome (OHS) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
NIV therapies involve the placement of a patient interface device including a mask component having a soft, flexible cushion on the face of a patient. The mask component may be, without limitation, a nasal mask that covers the patient's nose, a nasal cushion having nasal prongs that are received within the patient's nares, a nasal/oral mask that covers the nose and mouth, or a full face mask that covers the patient's face. Such patient interface devices may also employ other patient contacting components, such as forehead supports, cheek pads and chin pads. The patient interface device interfaces the ventilator or pressure support device with the airway of the patient, so that a flow of breathing gas can be delivered from the pressure/flow generating device to the airway of the patient. It is known to maintain such devices on the face of a wearer by a headgear having one or more straps adapted to fit over/around the patient's head.
During NIV therapy, a the patient interface device is applied and removed from the patient several times in the course of therapy. When the patient interface device is off of the patient, there is currently no controlled storage procedure. Instead, the patient interface device is often placed on a bedside table, hung from a piece of nearby equipment, or left hanging from the ventilation hose attached thereto. Such uncontrolled storage creates a heightened risk of contamination, as the environment can contaminate the patient interface device, and, in particular, the mask portion thereof, and the patient interface device, and in particular the mask portion thereof, can contaminate the environment.
In addition, NIV mask components are often packaged and shipped with a removable cover attached thereto. This cover is intended to protect the sealing cushion of the mask component from contamination and deformation during shipping. When the NIV mask component is to be put into service, this packaging is removed by the clinician and discarded. This practice is both an inconvenience to the clinician and materially wasteful.